You can look HERE there are two systems listed depending on when the computer was made. Both however list the Bios jumper as reserved. Perhaps then the battery removal would be a better option.

I cannot find any previous listing for your bios..

You'll have to find a P3 processor what has 512MB cache and a 66 or 100MHz FSB. This limits you to processors up to 600MHz (but not all processors at or below 600MHz necessarily have 512KB cache). Once you put this in your system should work just fine. If you want to you could then flash back to A07 and use your original processor again (A07 is the last bios that allowed newer processors and not come with the "incompatible processor" message).

For a list of processors, check this. The processors that'll work with a bios newer than A07 are the ones with: 100MHz bus speed, Mfg Tech of 0.25, and 512KB in cache.

Thanks Davet50 and Dev Mgr for your help......taking the battery out did nothing...I even left it out for 5 days and no change !!

Looks like I will have to hope to find a new processor   ;o(

Dev Mgr do you think this processor will resolve my problem ???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260480256148

I feel your issue is more of a bad bios flash then processor compatibility. Your current processor will work fine on any newer bios updates. Usually most bios updates are to  provide more processors to the list of compatible processors.

I think that just trying processors might be a waste of money.

Thanks Davet for your response.

I've upgraded the BIOS before on a few machines....in fact on the GX1 I've flashed from A03 thru to A07....and even on the Inspiron 9300 laptop I'm on to write this msg to you, I've recently flashed the bios from from A03 to A05....

so how would I have known if it was a bad bios flash ?

There didnt seem to be any error msgs...in fact it prompted me saying 'Upgrading BIOS from A07 to A10 ....do you wish to continue ?'.......why couldnt it have checked that check that the processor is compatible BEFORE updating ....  Grrrrrr

If it is a bad BIOS update, can  I get the PC to repeat it ?  ..or back out to A07 ?

If it is a DOS based update using a bootable floppy then you can try updating it again. I have not had any luck in locating A07 but again unless

I  managed to find a new processor with the spec Dev Mgr suggested ....for just a few pounds so I didnt mind the gamble.......and installed it and HEY PRESTO !!!!  my PC rebooted fine with the A10 BIOS

The processor was a Pentium III SL3JM..........with Heatsink but no Fan........my original processor had a built-in fan ......but despite this I thought the Heatsink would be enough to stop any heat problems

Unfortunately it wasn't...........just as I thought I'd resolved my  problems, the PC shut itself down with an 'Alert - Thermal Failure !' message on the screen !!

It still reboots and hasn't yet fried the motherboard but I am nervous about keeping the PC on for more than 15 mins at a time..........

Does anyone know if its possible to get a pentium III SL3JM (or SL3JT) processor with a built-in fan ???

Or can I upgrade the separate fan inside the chassis ? I think it is 913 BTU/hr at the moment  ......

Back in the GX1 days Dell used a lot of non-standard parts (e.g. powersupply). I'm not sure you'll get lucky enough to find a fan that'll work in this system and do more than that rated cooling.

You could however backflash to the A07 bios (just look for the A10 download and at one point there should be an option to download previous versions), then put your original processor back in the system.

You may be able to find a fan-equiped P3 600MHz though.

Thanks both Davet50 and Dev Mgr for your continued time and effort in responding to my posts

I understand the reasoning behind your suggestion to back out to BIOS A07........it would be a simple solution, but unfortunately I still cant find a copy of the GX1_A07.exe needed.....there dont appear to be any previous versions on the Dell website any more  ;o(

Davet50, you kindly sent me a link to the Dell GX1 motherboard diagram where it shows the two Jumper revisions that a GX1can have. I found that I have the second revision.......and before I started this process, there was a jumper on the rightmost peg...the PSWD enabler.......and a jumper on one of the internal processor speed pegs...350MHz I think.

Anyway today I moved the second jumper from the lower speed peg to the leftmost peg...the microprocessor internal speed 500MHz peg......

And now my PC has been happily working for 5 hours without cutting out with a Thermal failure.... !!!

I wondered should I remove the second jumper altogether ? Obviously adjusting the jumper to impose a higher internal speed has kept the processor cooler for longer. Am I right in thinking if no speed is imposed by a jumper, that the processor will impose its own speed ? ..which should be nearer 600MHz ????

By the way, the guy who supplied my new 600MHz processor has told me he has seen an SL3JM with a fan attached.....although he hasn't got one in stock at the moment..........   if I can rely on my PC working reliably for 5 hours without overheating, I may leave well alone.....it is only my backup machine anyway

Again thanks for your advice........if you find a GX1_A07.exe OR have any thoughts on removing the internal speed jumper, PLEASE let me know

Cheers

If you go to the A10 bios for the GX1, on the right side you see "Other Versions". Click this and you'll find A07 as a download.